We’ve all heard the refrain: it’s never been harder to buy your first home. The narrative almost always circles back to two usual suspects – mortgage rates and home prices. While rates and prices are undeniably visible and powerful levers, they are not the whole story. For industry insiders, the cha

It has been a messy few months for Zillow Group, including a copyright lawsuit from CoStar, a class action consumer RESPA suit, and antitrust suits from both Compass and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). While some of the listing portal giant’s competitors have said that it is a company of the pas

Rocket Companies reported a third-quarter 2025 adjusted net income of $158 million on adjusted revenue of $1.78 billion, exceeding the high end of its guidance range, the Detroit-based mortgage lender said Thursday. On a GAAP basis, the company posted a net loss of $124 million on total revenue of $

Mortgage industry experts are divided over the idea of allowing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to increase their purchases of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) in order to reduce mortgage rates, a proposal recently suggested by trade groups.  While the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) could create

For Keith Robinson, co-CEO of NextHome, the surge of federal attention on the housing shortage is a positive first step — but one that must be tempered by patience and practicality. “I’m ecstatic that it’s a conversation now, because that’s the first step,” Robinson said. “It’s gone from no one talk

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) and its CEO Nykia Wright have broadly acknowledged that things within the trade organization need to change. And while the trade group and its leadership team have taken steps in that direction, meeting with members across the country and pushing for improv

Dr. Cheryl Travis-Johnson, the executive vice president and chief operating officer of VRM Mortgage Services, died last week, according to the company. Travis-Johnson, an industry veteran with over 30 years of service, joined VRM in 2008 and helped to position the company as a “trusted and innovativ

The federal government shutdown is set to reach one month on Saturday, and the impacts are being felt by many Americans, including seniors who are struggling to access food, health care and a variety of support services. An article published last week by national senior advocacy group AARP highlight

Top-producing mortgage originator Chris Planto has rejoined Rate as vice president of mortgage lending in the Houston market. Planto returns to Rate from CrossCountry Mortgage, where he most recently served as a senior loan officer. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome back Chris Planto to our Rat

Multichannel mortgage lender Newrez continued to contribute positively to parent company Rithm Capital’s earnings in the third quarter of 2025, during which the company closed an agreement with Wells Fargo in the private-label securities (PLS) space. In the third quarter, Newrez posted pretax income

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a future promise in real estate. It’s here, measurable, and rapidly transforming how professionals work. From agents juggling client demands to lenders navigating compliance and efficiency pressures, AI is already proving itself both a pressure valve and a p

A mortgage is more than a rate and a closing date. It is a family planning for what happens after the keys are in hand. That is why insurance is not optional and belongs beside pricing, product fit, and closing costs in a loan officer’s core toolkit. It is required for the loan, and it also shapes m

A growing number of homeowners are putting off necessary maintenance and repairs, leading to safety concerns, higher costs and long-term financial strain, according to a new report from Bold North Roofing. The study found that 71% of homeowners have postponed at least one home project in 2025 — and

Coldwell Banker Yost — a longtime real estate firm serving southern West Virginia — has been acquired by Nathan Hendrick and will operate under the new name Coldwell Banker Hendrick Real Estate. The acquired company has operated in West Virginia for more than 25 years and was previously owned by Ste

A growing number of economists believe that the Federal Reserve is close to announcing the end of its quantitative tightening (QT) program — a move that could have wide-reaching implications for the mortgage industry. Over the past few weeks, central bank officials have signaled they are prepared to

Optimal Blue has responded to a class action lawsuit filed against it and 26 mortgage lenders, calling the claims “baseless” and “frivolous” and vowing to fight the lawsuit “all the way through.” “Optimal Blue is aware of the complaint filed against it, Black Knight, Inc., and many of the largest mo

Roughly two and a half years since filing their initial complaint, the Acevedo sexual assault plaintiffs are back with their third amended complaint.  In the latest rendition of the complaint, eXp World Holdings, eXp Realty, eXp founder and CEO Glenn Sanford, suspended eXp agent David Golden, now-fo

Software group PartnerOne announced on Tuesday that it has entered into an agreement with Accenture to acquire Mortgage Cadence, a provider of cloud-based digital lending solutions. PartnerOne said in its press release that it focuses on acquiring firms for the long term and investing to strengthen

Happy lowest-mortgage-rate-of-the-year day on this Halloween week! Mortgage rates are currently at a yearly low right before the Fed meets so the question is: will Fed Chair Jerome Powell ruin the good news right before Halloween festivities? Whatever Powell says tomorrow, mortgage rates are behavin